Category Archives: Business

Join us as we break ground on the City’s newest parkade Attention news, photo and video editors Guelph, Ont., February 20, 2018—Representatives from the media are invited to attend an event on Thursday, February 22 as the City breaks ground on Guelph’s first new parkade in over 30 years. Thursday’s groundbreaking will begin at 12:15 p.m. in front of City Hall, 1 Carden Street. Staff will be on hand to answer questions following the groundbreaking photo opportunity. The concept art for the parking facility will also be unveiled at the event. The Wilson Street parkade is part of the Council–approved Parking Master Plan. The parkade will offer more than 400 new parking spaces, dedicated bicycle parking facilities, electric vehicle charging stations and elevators for better… Continue reading Let’s Dig Wilson

Development partner will be chosen this summer Guelph, Ont., February 14, 2018—Last night Council approved four recommendations from staff related to the Baker District development including the size of and costs to design and build a new Main Library as part of this major capital project. The Guelph Public Library’s (GPL’s) business case identified the need for an 8,175 square metre (88,000 square foot) space to meet current and future library needs. Staff supported GPL’s business case in its report to Council and requested that Council approve the size as well as $1.9 million in capital funding to design and build the library as part of the Baker Street development. A development partner is expected to be chosen this summer. Currently the City is evaluating… Continue reading Council approves staff recommendations to include new Main Library as part of the Baker District development

Guelph has been recognized yet again as a great place to live and work, this time by the real estate and market trend data analysts at Point2 Homes in their list of millennial hot spots for 2018. The list ranked 85 cities by livability factors thought to be significant for the millennial generation including housing affordability, average income, unemployment rates and life satisfaction. Only Quebec City and Victoria ranked higher than Guelph. Our scores Point2 Homes ranked 85 cities in nine categories. Here are Guelph’s scores for all categories. Life satisfaction, 8th Health care, 9th Unemployment, 12th Income, 17th Percentage of millennials in our population, 18th Education, 22nd Crime rate, 25th Climate, 33rd Home prices, 45th Guelph shone particularly well in the areas of life… Continue reading Guelph third in new list of Canadian hot spots

Guelph, Ont., December 18, 2017—The City of Guelph invites artists to apply for the Wilson Street public art project— a commissioned project to create a permanent outdoor art installation at the corner of Wilson Street and Gordon Street — an initiative of the Wilson Street reconstruction project. “We are very excited about the launch of this public art project,” says Stacey Dunnigan, the City’s manager of culture and tourism. “This opportunity furthers our goals of animating public space and creating new opportunities for the appreciation of public art while growing the City’s official collection.” This is a commissioned art project in two stages: Request for Pre-Qualifications (RFPQ) where artists (individuals or teams) submit their resume and references, digital images of past works, and a letter… Continue reading City seeks artist for Wilson Street public art project

Guelph, Ont., December 14, 2017— Guelph ranks seventh in a national list of cities having a high concentration of software developers, according to Stacking Up: A snapshot of Canada’s developer talent. “Guelph’s concentration of software developers speaks to our regional strengths in technology and innovation,” says Peter Cartwright, general manager of business development and enterprise services. “This is just one of the many reasons why companies are considering Guelph as a location for technology-driven businesses.” The national list is part of a report released by the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship in partnership with Stack Overflow this month. Rankings are based on an annual survey completed by Stack Overflow earlier this year, as well as web traffic data to their site, “a website where… Continue reading Guelph ranks seventh for leaders in software development

Guelph, Ont., November 30, 2017—City Council has approved a staff recommendation to submit the City’s Letter of Intent to purchase 98 hectares (243 acres) in the Guelph Innovation District lands, formerly known as the York District lands. “We’re pleased Council has approved this start to bold and innovative development in our city,” says Scott Stewart, deputy chief adminstative officer of Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise for the City. “We’re excited to be one step closer to making the Guelph Innovation District Secondary Plan come to life.” The City will be submitting their Letter of Intent to the Province immediately. The purchase will include the former Wellington Detention Centre lands, the Guelph Research Station lands and 15 hectares (38 acres) of conservation lands. The purchase does not… Continue reading Council approves City purchase of Guelph Innovation District lands

Guelph, Ont., December 8, 2017 – International engineering firm Control Systems International (CSI) is celebrating the opening of their third satellite office today, their first in Guelph. CSI provides engineering design solutions for clients. Their new office will lead the design of robot systems used in client manufacturing processes. The Guelph office will also provide servicing and troubleshooting services to clients, and the company has plans to hire electrical apprentices, robot technicians and engineers in the near future. Guelph is ideally located with access to educated talent developed at the University of Guelph and Conestoga College. Guelph’s proximity to the Toronto-Guelph-Waterloo Innovation Corridor, the second largest cluster of technology innovators in North America, also makes the city an ideal choice for new businesses to set… Continue reading Control Systems International choose Guelph for their third satellite office

Guelph, Ont., November 6, 2017 – City staff and the Downtown Guelph Business Association (DGBA) would like to invite Guelph residents to Wilson Street for the official grand reopening on Saturday, November 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 10 a.m. – Live entertainment, face painting and interactive passport begins 12 p.m. – Ribbon cutting and speeches 12:30 p.m. – Live entertainment, face painting and interactive passport commences 1:50 p.m. – Closing remarks and prize draw* The reopening held on Wilson Street will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony by City of Guelph Mayor, Cam Guthrie. Some of the festivities will include local musicians such as Cynthia Kinunnen, Anna Wiebe, Charles Cares, Joni Nehrita, Rosa Loess and The Lifers playing in select Wilson Street businesses, face… Continue reading You’re invited to the Wilson Street grand reopening

Attention news, photo and video editors Guelph, Ont., November 2, 2017 – The City of Guelph and the Downtown Guelph Business Association (DGBA) invites local media outlets to the official grand reopening of the newly reconstructed Wilson Street. The Wilson Street grand reopening will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony by City of Guelph Mayor, Cam Guthrie. Some of the festivities will include local musicians playing in select Wilson Street businesses, face painting for children, a prize draw* and an interactive passport. The passport will be used like a treasure hunt to collect a hot drink from The Common, a Killer Cupcakes treat or a flower from Sweet Violets. Passport cards can then be submitted to enter a draw. The first two draws get a $250… Continue reading Wilson Street ribbon cutting and grand reopening

Guelph, Ont., October 19, 2017 – The City of Guelph, University of Guelph and area regions have come together to support the Toronto Region’s bid for Amazon HQ2. Amazon, the U.S. tech giant in the business world, sought bids from across North America in search of a location for its second headquarters. Toronto Region’s bid provides 10 sites as possible locations for Amazon HQ2. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for the entire Innovation Corridor. Guelph is pleased to bring our strengths to the table to make Toronto Region’s bid even more competitive. Those strengths include a pool of highly skilled talent and the research strengths of the University of Guelph,” said Guelph’s Mayor, Cam Guthrie. Guelph provides a unique offering of skilled local talent with… Continue reading Guelph supports Toronto Region’s bid for Amazon HQ2

Guelph, Ont., September 28, 2017 – Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. broke ground on their new facility today, two months after purchasing a 4.3 acre parcel of land in phase one of the Hanlon Creek Business Park. The new facility will be located directly at the corner of Downey Road and Hanlon Creek Boulevard, producing a cutting edge corn-based biomaterial, PhytoSpherix®. The product is an ingredient used in the personal care and cosmetic industries. “Mirexus chose Guelph as the prime location to establish their facility and we’re pleased they chose the Hanlon Creek Business Park to make their mark in our community,” says Barbara Maly, Manager, Economic Development. “Meeting the aggressive timelines of this project is a perfect example of how we’re making it easier for business… Continue reading Groundbreaking ceremony welcomes Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. to the Hanlon Creek Business Park

Open house October 5 at City Hall Guelph, Ont., September 22, 2017 – The City of Guelph is inviting members of the public to attend an open house on Thursday, October 5, in updating its parkland dedication strategy. “Parkland dedication is one of a number of tools that the City uses to secure additions to its park system through the development approval process; it’s also a tool that can be employed to manage or facilitate growth in Guelph,” says Jyoti Pathak, a park planner with the City. The first session is from 2-4 p.m., followed by an evening session from 6-8 p.m. Both sessions take place at City Hall and there is a formal presentation within the first half hour. City staff and The Planning… Continue reading City seeks input on parkland dedication strategy

Guelph, Ont., September 21, 2017 – The City of Guelph economic development enewsletter, Mind Your Business (MYB), is the winner of the Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The award was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, September 19 during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held September 17–20 in Toronto. “On behalf of the IEDC board of directors and Excellence in Economic Development Awards Advisory Committee, we extend congratulations to the City of Guelph. Not only did they work to provide a necessary service to their community – their participation in the awards program sheds light on their stellar projects which other communities can now use as a benchmark,” says Michael Langley, CEO of Greater MSP and 2017… Continue reading City of Guelph wins award of excellence for Mind Your Business enewsletter

The City of Guelph is updating its parkland dedication strategy. This update is required under Section 42 of the Planning Act and will implement the revised parkland dedication policies adopted by Council under Section 7.3 of Official Plan Amendment 48. Learn more about the Parkland Dedication Bylaw review and update by joining City staff at a public open house. Thursday, October 5 2–4 p.m. (2:30 p.m. presentation) or 6–8 p.m. (6:30 p.m. presentation) Guelph City Hall, 1 Carden Street The open house is your opportunity to: view a presentation (background research, what we’ve heard from key stakeholders to date, and draft framework for parkland dedication in Guelph); ask questions about the project; and provide feedback to City staff and the project consultants. Have your say!… Continue reading Notice: Parkland Dedication Bylaw open house

Guelph, Ont., September 15, 2017 – New data released from the 2016 census paints an excellent picture for business development in Guelph. The median household income rose by 2.6 per cent to $77,984 from 2005 to 2015. This jump in income for Guelphites plays an important role in job growth and attracting talent to the city, which is a goal of the City of Guelph’s Prosperity 2020 strategy. When Guelph’s low unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent is looped in, the result is a thriving community that looks attractive to investors and prospective employees. “Our goal is to bring jobs to the city and growing household incomes helps with attracting business and talent,” says Scott Stewart, Deputy CAO, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise. “These results reflect… Continue reading Growing household income attracts business and talent to Guelph

Guelph, Ont., September 6, 2017 – Halwell Mutual Insurance Company officially opened its new 14,500 square foot head office today, located in the Hanlon Creek Business Park. Hanlon Creek Business Park provided the flexibility of having a custom building built with their needs in mind. This new head office will help Halwell Mutual accommodate workforce growth in the coming years. “I want to thank Halwell for staying local and for choosing to continue their growth in Guelph,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “I am thrilled to be cutting the ribbon on another high-profile head office in the Hanlon Creek Business Park.” “Phase one of the Hanlon Creek Business Park is now over 50 per cent sold,” says Barbara Maly, Manager, Economic Development. “It’s local companies like… Continue reading Halwell Mutual celebrates move to the Hanlon Creek Business Park

Guelph among select municipalities to oversee and apply greater rigour to development in vulnerable source water areas Guelph, Ont., August 1, 2017 –The City of Guelph has improved its review process for sanitary sewer infrastructure projects to better protect our community’s vulnerable source water. The revised process allows the City of Guelph to complete the review process for the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s (MOECC) environmental compliance approval (ECA) applications internally. The MOECC makes the decision to grant the ECAs based on the City’s review. “We’re pleased to take this work on at the local level to provide faster service to our development community,” said Peter Rider, the City’s Risk Management Official. “This also allows us to participate more directly in the oversight… Continue reading City to play greater role in protecting Guelph’s source water

Council unanimously approves development of Community Plan for Guelph Guelph, Ont., July 24, 2017 – Guelph City Council received its first update on the City’s progress on implementing the Corporate Administrative Plan (CAP), introduced in September 2016, and further progress towards the Council Shared Agenda (CSA), introduced in 2015. The full CAP and CSA updates can be seen in the Council report. This report is the beginning of a program of improved corporate performance reporting and continuous improvement practices that will result in increased accountability to citizens and better results. “On behalf of Council, I’m very pleased to see the integration of the Corporate Administrative Plan and Council Shared Agenda,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie. “Over the past year we’ve made tremendous progress on multiple fronts.… Continue reading Council updated on City’s Corporate Administrative Plan and Council Shared Agenda

Guelph, Ont., July 21, 2017 – Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. will continue to invest in Guelph with the purchase of a 4.3 acre parcel of land in the Hanlon Creek Business Park. “We are thrilled that Mirexus is expanding their business in Guelph – they began here and have been a great asset to the community,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “We look forward to creating these types of opportunities for the growing bio-tech industry as part of our commitment to make it easier for businesses to do business with city hall.” “Through our Grow Guelph Business Retention and Expansion initiative we are well positioned to attract innovative companies, like Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc., and help them grow in Guelph,” says Derrick Thomson, Guelph’s chief administrative officer. The… Continue reading Local biotechnology company expands operations in Guelph

Guelph, Ont., July 18, 2017 – Last night Council directed staff to complete the request for proposal (RFP) process for the redevelopment of the Baker District—the priority project for the Downtown Secondary Plan — including a requirement for space allocation for a main library. “With Council’s support to secure proposals for the Baker District redevelopment, we can forge ahead with fully realizing the economic and social potential of this desirable downtown property within the next five to seven years,” said Derrick Thomson, Guelph’s Chief Administrative Officer. The competitive RFP process will allow staff to align development work plans and the funding strategy for this site.The resulting proposals will confirm the commercial development interest in today’s market, which has changed since 2014 when the initial concept was… Continue reading City to pursue Baker District redevelopment proposals

Co-operative insurer’s new consolidated location will build upon the organization’s 50 year history in the community Guelph, Ontario, July 17, 2017 – The Co-operators and the City of Guelph announce plans for the national co-operative insurance and financial services organization to build a state-of-the art facility in 2023, situated in the city’s south end. “The Co-operators has a proud and vibrant history with the City of Guelph that we are thrilled to see continue,” says Rob Wesseling, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Co-operators. “We are grateful to the City for their support and collaboration in working with us to find a location that allows us to remain rooted in this community as we bring our three Guelph offices together under one roof.” In anticipation… Continue reading The Co-operators and the City of Guelph announce 2023 plans for new south end state-of-the-art headquarters

Guelph, Ont., May 19, 2017 – Mayor Cam Guthrie is applauding the inclusion of Guelph as a station stop on a proposed high-speed rail line along the Toronto-Windsor corridor. A Guelph stop is included in a report from David Collenette, Ontario’s Special Advisor on high speed rail. The report notes that high speed rail could cut travel time between Guelph and Toronto to a minimum of 39 minutes. Today, the Province of Ontario released the report and announced it is moving ahead with preliminary design work on the project as well as a comprehensive environmental assessment. The proposed stops include Windsor, Chatham, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, and Toronto, with a connection to Pearson International Airport. “This is the culmination of more than a year of work… Continue reading High speed rail will unlock extraordinary new opportunities for Guelph

Guelph, Ont., May 8, 2017– Fusion Homes celebrated two major milestones in The Metalworks development today, cutting the ribbon on its 133-unit Phase 1 building and breaking ground on its 132-unit Phase 2 building, The Studio at the Metalworks. Mayor Cam Guthrie joined Fusion Homes Chief Executive Officer Lee Piccoli for the event. “It’s not every day I get to cut a ribbon and break ground on the same project, on the same day,” said Mayor Guthrie. “I’m thrilled that The Metalworks is breathing new life into this property. I’m even more excited to welcome the hundreds of new residents who will be part of the incredible lifestyle downtown Guelph has to offer.” “Each new residential phase will bring more community members, more diversity… Continue reading The Metalworks celebrates ribbon cutting and ground breaking

Guelph, Ont., April 10, 2017– Guelph has ranked tenth best small city for foreign direct investment in fDi Magazine’s American Cities of the Future. The only Canadian city to make the overall top ten list for small cities, Guelph also came in fourth in human capital and lifestyle, and eighth for business friendliness. The bi-annual rankings are completed by fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times. Guelph was ranked against 209 small cities with populations ranging from 100,000-350,000. Ranking criteria included over 95 data points in the categories of economic potential, business friendliness, human capital and lifestyle, cost effectiveness and connectivity. “Guelph ticks all the right boxes: a great location; an outstanding university and college; a skilled labour pool; and a supportive business environment. We’re… Continue reading Guelph ranks among top cities in the Americas for foreign direct investment

Guelph, Ont., March 31, 2017 – The Guelph-Wellington Local Immigration Partnership (GWLIP) is pleased to announce the recipients of the first-ever Global Advantage Business Awards. The awards—celebrating businesses and individuals that demonstrate leadership in immigrant employment and entrepreneurship in Guelph and Wellington—were handed out March 29 at a breakfast event at the Italian Canadian Club. Cargill (Guelph) and TG Minto Corporation (Wellington County) received the Immigrant Inclusion in the Workplace Award. This award honours businesses that hire immigrants and that recognize diversity and international skills and experience as a benefit to their business, and have implemented practices to support cultural and religious diversity in the workplace. The Immigrant Entrepreneur Success Award, which recognizes immigrants who have arrived in Canada since 2000 and who are driving… Continue reading Global Advantage Business Awards recipients named

On March 7, 2017, Guelph was featured in the Perspective Marketing insert which was distributed throughout Southern Ontario in the Globe and Mail. Guelph is often recognized for its strengths as one of Canada’s top places to live, visit, start and grow a business. The 24 page insert highlights the organizations that make up the unique business support ecosystem found in Guelph including The University of Guelph’s agri-food revolution; Downtown Guelph’s impressive development story; How Guelph’s Civic Accelerator is finding solutions for municipal challenges; Innovation Guelph’s programs and services that help businesses grow and prosper; and Employment lands available for immediate construction. For a copy of the Perspective Guelph insert, please contact Guelph Economic Development at bizinfo@guelph.ca or (519) 837-5600.

City’s Water Services and Planning departments to test new tools Guelph, Ont., February 23, 2017 – The City of Guelph’s Civic Accelerator, which turns the City into a research, development and commercialization lab for civic technology, closed its first round with a Demo Day held yesterday at the University of Guelph. The event hosted representatives of the federal and provincial government, other municipal governments, angel investors, corporate leaders, Accelerator participants and partners, academics and students. Civic Accelerator Demo Day hosted on February 22, 2017 at the University of Guelph Alert Labs and Milieu Technologies showcased products that won each a spot in the Civic Accelerator for their unique ability to solve challenging City issues. “The Civic Accelerator turns local government into the first customer, and… Continue reading Pilot programs announced as Guelph wraps first round of Civic Accelerator

Guelph, Ont., December 9, 2016 – The Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership (GWLIP) is accepting nominations for the newly created Global Advantage Business Awards. Individuals and businesses of any size or industry have until January 31, 2017 to submit a nomination for two awards: Immigrant Inclusion in the Workplace Award and Immigrant Entrepreneur Success Award. “These awards celebrate the incredible contributions that immigrants make to the local economy through entrepreneurship, and the commitments local businesses are making through innovative solutions in the workforce,” says Ella Henderson, project specialist with the GWLIP. She adds, “No other awards exist locally to shine a light on these issues. We’re looking forward to raising the profile of the contributions made by immigrants and companies in the development and growth… Continue reading Global Advantage Business Awards celebrate business leadership, innovation in Guelph

Canada-wide industry award recognizes Guelph’s submission as first among four finalists Guelph, Ont., November 30, 2016—Canadian Brownfields Network and Actual Media Inc. awarded the City of Guelph with a 2016 Brownie Award in the Legislation, Policy and Program Initiatives category at a gala dinner in Toronto last night. “The City of Guelph is honoured to receive this Brownie Award for our brownfield site development guidelines,” said Terry Gayman, manager of Infrastructure, Development and Environmental Engineering. “We established these guidelines to support the redevelopment of properties suspected or known to have some environmental contamination, and we’re pleased that our work has been recognized by the industry experts who were part of the Brownie Awards judging panel.” The Brownie Awards program recognizes leadership, innovation and environmental sustainability… Continue reading City wins award for brownfield site development guidelines

Guelph, Ont., October 28, 2016 – Today, local success story Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin Incorporated (RWDI) officially opened its new 130,000 square foot facility at 600 Southgate Drive in the Hanlon Business Park. A major expansion to the existing building increased the floor area by 40 percent and will accommodate an additional 200 people over the next five to seven years. “We are extremely proud to be a world renowned company that is based right here in Guelph,” says Michael Soligo, Chief Executive Officer, RWDI. “The City of Guelph was an important partner in this move; they were very supportive and keen to have us remain in Guelph. This new space offers a better sense of community for our staff as we… Continue reading RWDI officially opens new 130,000 square foot, state-of-the-art testing facility in Guelph

Guelph, Ont, October 25, 2016 – Last week, three local businesses expanded their global presence at Salon International de l’Alimentation (SIAL) – the world’s largest international food innovation and trade exhibition in Paris, France. The delegation team of Troll Bridge Creek, Dixon’s Distillery, and Wagram Springs, and led by representatives from the economic development offices of the City of Guelph, County of Wellington, University of Guelph and Guelph Chamber of Commerce joined over 7,000 companies from over 100 countries to present their products to retail and food service professionals from around the world. The trip also offered members of the delegation an opportunity to meet with France’s leading network group – Vitagora – who connects its food industry and research members with manufacturers from around… Continue reading Local businesses go global at world’s largest food exhibition

Guelph, Ont., August 23, 2016 – A new initiative—Newcomers on Board—is creating opportunities for newcomers and organizations to benefit from one another. The pilot project, launched earlier this summer, matches highly-skilled new Canadians or recent immigrants—living in the Guelph and Wellington County area—with non-profit corporate boards and municipal committees, to share their skills, ideas and passions. “Newcomers not only enrich the diversity of their communities, they also bring new skills and ideas that help grow local economies. By helping newcomers better integrate into the social and economic fabric of the community, the city of Guelph is positioning itself for continued prosperity,” says Citizenship and Immigration Minister Laura Albanese. Alex Goss, manager of Community Investment at the City, agrees. “We’re excited to be part of a program… Continue reading Guelph initiative creates new opportunities for newcomers, organizations

City Council will be presented with the first status report for the Community Energy Initiative (CEI) Update process on Monday, July 18. The report outlines the status of four items: The City’s Corporate Energy Management Program (CEMP), a key aspect of the CEI’s approach to demonstrating leadership, improving energy efficiency in City owned buildings and developing opportunities for on-site energy generation. To date the CEMP has implemented retrofit projects at three city facilities which delivered annual avoided costs of $87,830 as of the end of 2015. The completion of the scope of work to undertake qualitative and quantitative analysis in support of the CEI Update process. This scope of work will be used to develop and issue a request for proposal to hire a consultant to… Continue reading City provides first status report on the Community Energy Initiative (CEI) update